y 



ADDEESS, 



Constitiilion an^ '§^-'$n{u 



OF THK 



UNCOIDITIONAL UNION CmfiAL COMMITTEE, 



FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK. 



HEADQUARTERS, 



Gibson's Building, N, E, corner Sroadivay'and 13th Street, 



.*. t" — ■♦ < <»'► . ■ I ■ « ■ » : 



NEW YORK: 

tVii. 0. BRYANT & CO., PRINTERS, 41 NASSAU STREET, CORNER OF LIBERTT. 

1864. 



oi 






ADDRESS 

OF THE 

SntouMiioiial Itiiion OEciitral Coinmiitet 

FOK THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YOKK. 
[Issued March 11, 18G4.] 



To the Citizens of the City and State of New York: 

Fellow-Citizens, — Our country is entering upon one of those 
transition periods when new policy and more vigorous action are de- 
manded by the unforeseen exigencies of the times. 

The Rebellion, -which has devastated half the land, and brought 
the agonies of civil war to so many Northern and Southern households, 
has reached that crisis when the political management of our national 
aflfairs — in view of its bearing on the questions of this contest — be- 
comes of importance commensurate with that of the military control 
of our arms. 

Never were greater issues at stake. They involve the whole des- 
tiny of the Eepublic. During the present year you are again 
required to select the skillful and patriotic hands to which you will 
confide the helm of State. You are also to determine how the nation 
shall be guided — whether over the broad and sunlit waters of perfect 
Liberty to havens of prosperity and greatness, or through tortuous 
channels of compromise to the perils of a dark and uncertain future. 

In the compaign which elected Mr. Lincoln, it was justly held by 
the Republican party that Congress should exert its power to pre- 
vent the extension of Slavery in the Territories. That doctrine was 
thought sufiiciently progressive for the era. But the outbreak and 
sanguinary progress of the Slaveholders' Rebellion have brought a 
change. The mental growth of a century has been condensed within 



tbree momentous years — years of a war, whose carnage will not, must 
not, have been in vain. Old things have passed away and all things 
have become new. We have learned that there can be no desirable 
peace without the utter extinction of Slavery. If that monster evil 
has perished by its own act, it still remains for us to bury it out of 
sight, so that no political magic may renew its life, nor even its ghost 
arise to vex the land. 

If military proclamations have served as a convenient prelude to 
this achievement, the time has now come for action of a more direct 
and enduring character. Armed treason has placed the people of the 
Rebellious States in the situation of alien enemies. A free and vic- 
torious North, alike by reason and precedent, would be justfied in 
(imposing its own laws upon the disloyal section of our National ter- 
dtery. But there are other methods of accomplishing our purpose, 
•equally sure, and more in consonance with the temper of the Ameri- 
<;an people. The Constitution should be amended by a clause pro- 
viding for the immediate and irrevocable Abolition of Slavery 
throughout the United States. 

We have said that old parties are disrupted, and that ancient 
lines have been wiped out. On the proposed amendment, loyal men, 
of whatever |x)litical antecedents, will band themselves together for 
a new and healthful promotion of the country's cause. 

A National Union Convention which should establish its platform 
on any principles short of the foregoing, Avould be far behind the de- 
termined spirit ■of the day. On the minor prudential issues — suck 
ae the enforcement of the Monroe doctrine — the preservation of per- 
sonal rights — an organized system of immigration, a system of 
National education — the establishment of a National currency based 
on the National credit, we <lo not at present address you. But we urge 
that the war shall be prosecuted more vigorously than it has hitherto 
been, and without regard to individual or partisan ends, and that no 
unscrupulous cliques shall be allowed to forestall free expressions of 
popular opinion at this grave and decisive crisis. 

No peace involving compromise of liberty, the unqualified submis- 
sion of traitors, the perpetual extinction of Slavery, an unrelenting 
prosecution of the war until all this shall have been achieved : — such 
are the main requirements of the party by which a wise and devoted 
Administration must be chosen, and to which such a Government 
will look for its most consistent support. 

In pursuance of these great results, and for the harmonious organ- 
izatjon of citizens pledged to obtain them, the Utconditional Union 



party has sprung into spontaneous and vigorous existence from one 
end of the country to the other. "With the same intent, and as a 
portion of its organization, the Committee which now addresses you 
has been formed of delegations from the Unconditional Union Clubs 
in the city of New York. We commend these clubs to the alliance 
of our loyal men. We invite your generous co-operation, and 
bold our fraternal hands to all unconditional lovers of Union 
and Liberty. 

We have no Presidential candidate to foist upon you, and have 
deprecated the premature and unseemly clamor raised by hack- 
politicians in support of their respective favorites. But since the 
campaign has been thus opened, and its issues forced upon us, we 
do insist that no National convention can be loyally framed without 
adherence to the principles we have avowed, and that no candidate 
should be nominated who is not pledged by his past and present 
record to their development and support. 

What an illustrious future awaits our beloved country, ransomed 
by a generous policy from her one degrading evil, and restored to 
loyalty and peace ! With all sectional distinctions washed away, 
Northerner and Southerner vieing in filial adherence to new-born 
Liberty, America will indeed become a " mighty and puissant 
nation," and her stars will shine more brightly than of old, wher- 
ever men proudly point to emblems of human freedom and patriotic 
hope. 



liicoiiMtioiuil lliiioii Olciitral ComiuitirL 



AETICLES OF ASSOCIATION. 



Akticle I. 

This Association sliall be called tlie Unconditional Union 
Central Coivlmittee for the City and County of New York. 

Akticle II. 
The ol)jects of this Committee are : 

First. — The establishment of unconditional Union Clubs 
n the several municipal wards. 

Second. — Tiie efficient organization of citizens Avho will 
subscribe their names to the pledge contained in Article 
YIII. 

Third. — Patriotic resistance to the intrigues of designing 
cliques, wdiicli have scrupled at no means of controlling 
political organizations, and sul)verting them to corru2:)t and 
sellisli ends. 

Aeticle III. 

This Committee shall be composed of delegates from the 
aforesaid Unconditional Union Clubs, and of such honorary 
mend)crs as shall be admitted by a two-thirds vote at any 
meetino;. 



Akticle IY. 

Each Club shall be entitled to one representative in this 
Committee for each one hundred, and major fractional part 
of one hundred votes cast in its own ward for the Union 
gubernatorial candidate, at the last preceding election for 
Governor ; the President in each Club to count as one, and 
to be included in the number of said representatives. 

Article V. 

The officers of this Committee shall consist of a President, 
four Vice-Presidents, two Eecording Secretaries, a Corre- 
sponding Secretary, and a Treasurer ; the same to be elected 
by a majority of the members present at the time of the 
adoption of these Articles of Association, and to continue 
in office until the 31st day of December, following said 
election, 

Aeticle YI. 

The President shall appoint the following Standing Com- 
mittees : A Finance Committee of three ; a Committee on 
Public Meetings of five. 

Aeticle YII. 

There shall be an Executive Committee, composed of the 
Presidents of the twenty- two Ward Clubs, and of the officers 
of this Central Committee ; and five members of the Exec- 
utive Committee shall l)e a quormn for the transaction of 
business. 

Aeticle YIII. 

Every member of this Committee, and every member of 
the Unconditional Union Clubs in the respective Wards, 
shall sign the following pledge : " We, whose names are 
hereto subscribed, do i^ledge ourselves to the vigorous pros- 



8 



edition of tlie present war, to the entire suppression of the 
existing rebellion without compromise of libert}^, to the 
complete and absolute overthrow of human slavery in the 
United States, to the general maintenance of the progressive 
doctrines of the Union party, and to the support of such 
candidates as may be nominated in pursuance of these great 
ends." 

Aeticle IX. 

These Articles of Association shall not be altered or 
amended miless by a notice in writing, at a pre\dous meet- 
ing and a vote of two-tliii*ds of the members present. 



BY-LAWS. 



Article I. 

Duties of President. 

It shall be the duty of the President to preside at the 
meetings of the Central Committee, to preserve order, en- 
force the rules, and perform all the duties devolving upon 
a presiding officer. At each meeting he shall designate a 
member to act as sergeant-at-arms, who, bj virtue of such 
appointment, shall be invested ■with power under his direc- 
tion to preserve order, and enforce obedience to the rules of 
the Central Committee. At the commencement of the 
year, he shall appoint the Standing Committees, and shall 
be an ex-officio member of the same. 

He shall appoint all other Committees not otherwise or- 
dered by the Central Committee. 

Article II. 

Duties of Vice-Preside7it. 

In the absence of the President, one of the Yice-Presi- 
dents shall preside and perform his duties ; and in case two 
or more Yice-Presidents be in attendance, in the absence of 
the President, the meeting shall have the right to designate 
the one who shall preside. 



10 
Akticle III. 

Duties of Recording Secretaries. 

It shall be tlie duty of the Recording Secretaries to keep 
a faithful record of the proceedings of the Central Com- 
mittee, and a roll of its members. They shall give notice 
of all meetings, by publishing the same in such papers as 
may be designated by the Central Committee, and shall 
perform the nsual duties of a printing Committee. 

Aeticle TV. 

Duties of Treasurer. 
It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive and hold 
for its use all moneys belonging to the Central Committee. 
He shall keep an account of all receipts and expendi- 
tures, and make report thereof in writing at the regular 
meeting in the month of December, and at such other times 
as the Central Committee may require. He shall not pay 
any money, except on the order of the Executive Committee, 
signed by the Chairman, or of the Central Committee, 
signed by the President. 

Aeticle V. 

Finance Committee. 

It shall be the duty of the Finance Committee' to provide 
funds for the use of the Central Committee, pay the same 
to the Treasurer, and make report thereof to the Central 
Committee. 

Article YI. 

Corresjponding Secretary. 

It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Secretary, in 
behalf of the Central Committee, to correspond with the 
friends of the Unconditional Union Cause elsewhere, and 
report the results of such correspondence from time to time 
to the Central Committee. 



11 

Akticle VII. 

JRejyorts of Committees. 

It sliftll be tlie duty of the Chairman of each Standing 
Committee to make a full report in writing of the proceed- 
ings of such Standing Committee, to be entered upon the 
minutes of the Central Committee at such times as the 
Central Committee may require. 

Article VIII. 

Absentees from Committees. 

If any member of a Standing Committee shall be reported 
by the Chairman thereof to the Central Committee as hav- 
ing been absent from three successive meetings of the 
Standing Committee, of which he shall have been notified, 
it shall be the duty of the Eecording Secretaries, or either 
of them, to notify him of such report ; and if he fail at the 
next meeting of the Central Committee to give a satisfac- 
tory^ excuse, his place on the Standing Committee shall be 
declared vacant. 

Akticle IX. 

Absentees from Central Committee. 

If any member of the Central Committee shall be absent 
from three consecutive meetings thereof, his place may be 
declared vacant by the Central Committee, and the club 
from which he was elected, duly notified of such action. 

Akticle X. 

Removal of Ojficers. 

All the Officers and Committees of the Central Com- 
mittee shall be subject to its control and instruction, and 
may be removed by a vote of three-fom-ths of the members 
present at a regular meeting, provided notice of such in- 
tended removal shall have been given at the regular meeting 
immediately preceding the same. 



12 

Article XI. 

Vacancies — Sow Filled. 

When any vacancies shall occnr in the offices of the 
Central Committee, notice shall be given at a regular meet- 
ing that an election to till the same will be held at the next 
succeeding regular meeting, at which time the Central Com- 
mittee shall proceed by ballot to fill said vacancy. 

Article XII. 

Meetings. 

The regular meetings of the Central Committee shall be 
held on the first and third Friday of each month. 

Special meetings may be called by the President, at the 
request of five members of the Central Committee. 

All meetings shall be held at the place that may be 
designated by the Central Committee as their head- 
quarters. 

Article XIII. 

Quoinim. 

Twenty members shall constitute a quorum ; and if a 
quorum shall not be present in half an hour after the time 
named for the meeting, it shall be adjourned to the time of 
the next regular meeting. 

Article XIV. 

Order of Business. 

At each meeting of the Central Committee, the following 
shall be the order of business : 

1. Callino; roll of Members. 



'& 



2, Reading and disposal of the Minutes of the last 
3eting. 

3. Reports of Standing Committees. 



meetmg. 



13 

4. Eeports of Special Committees. 

5. Commmiications. 

6. Unfiiiislied business. 

7» Miscellaneous business. 

Akticlf XV. 

Hides of Order. 

1st. Ko member sliall speak more than once upon any 
subject under discussion, until all present sliall have had an 
opportunity to speak, unless to make a personal explana- 
tion. 

2d. 1*^0 member shall speak more than ten consecutive 
minutes without the consent of the meeting. 

3d. All resolutions and amendments shall be presented in 
writing, if requested. 

4th. The Order of Business and Bules of Order may be 
suspended at any meeting, by a majority of the members 
present. 

5th. In the decision of all disputed points of order, the 
lordinary Parliamentary rules governing legislative bodies 
sliall be observed. 

Article XYI. 

Ainendi)ienU. 

These by-laws can only be amended by a vote of two-thirds 
of the members present at a regular meeting, after one 
month's notice in writing shall have been given of the in- 
tended alteration at a regular meeting. 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



014 220 400 9 



